Detection of periodontal disease activity based on histatin degradation in individuals with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVES

This proof-of-concept study aimed at evaluating the proteolytic profile of histatin 1 and 5 in saliva of adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) with gingivitis.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 24 individuals allocated into three groups: G1 (CP with gingivitis; n = 8), G2 (without CP and without gingivitis; n = 8), and G3 (without CP and with gingivitis; n = 8). The gingival index (GI) and simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S) were evaluated. Whole saliva was collected and used to assess the rate and mode of histatin 1 and 5 at different times. The degradation products were visualized after cationic PAGE and the protein band densities (BDs) were compared with a protein standard. Fragmentation products were collected from the gel, pooled by group and characterized by mass spectrometry. BDs and gingival health parameters were analyzed by One-Way ANOVA or Kruskal Wallis tests, whereas poisson multilevel regression was used to the factors that influenced histatin degradation (α = 5%).

RESULTS

Groups G1 and G3 differed significantly on OHI-S, visible biofilm, oral calculus and GI (p < 0.001). Poisson Regression showed that: 1) CP and gingivitis influenced the degradation of histatin 1 and 5 (p < 0.05); 2) The degradation of histatin 5 was influenced by age and male sex (p < 0.05); and 3) GI influenced significantly the degradation of histatin 1 (p < 0.001). Unique histatin degradation peptides were identified in individuals with gingivitis.

CONSLUSIONS

These data demonstrated that both the kinetics and pattern of histatins degradation differ according to the gingival health or disease conditions.